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I was really blowing all night at Redondo Beach, 35+kts. The boat was rocking almost like we were anchored out (I kept waking up; I'm not used to that much motion with the boat in her slip). But, it died down enough by mid-morning to make me think about going for a sail ... that is, until I walked over to the breakwater and took a look . I thought Santa Monica Bay was supposed to be nice and sedate?? Oh well, whittled down the boat's to-do list a little, then headed home and worked on the honey-do list at the house for the rest of the day.

Hey glassdad... sorry about the hijack/drift.... Too bad about conditions but FWIW I think you're doing the right thing staying within your and your family's comfort zones. There will be plenty of 'good' days and as things go along you'll get more comfortable with heavier conditions. It's one thing to end up in them, another to choose to take them on.

I agree completely.

When I worked as a yacht broker, I met several guys who decided to take their families out in conditions like that. I met them because their spouses reacted by telling them that they could choose how the boat was going--either voluntarily, through a broker; or as part of a divorce settlement.

Another point to remember is that one's ability to respond to conditions like that is only as good as the weakest member of your crew. If your entire crew is paralyzed with fear, you are basically sailing single-handed in very bad weather.

05-29-2011 10:52 PM

bogdog

Well its been fun(ish) here on L. Michigan at Racine today, we feel like a cork. Some big thunder storms have the Root river making us bob up and down 2' or more on the hour. The big lake has been like a bath tub on a roller coaster. Sloshing one way then the other. First the river picks us up, straining the dock lines, then we adjust, and in less that an hour we're out there again because the lake decides to come back up river. To top that off, its foggy and going from 50 to 65 degrees in 10 minutes. Geezzzshhh!

05-29-2011 10:08 PM

captbillc

cold NE wind on the western end of lake superior. i won't put my boat in the water till the first part of june, as it's too cold to be much fun.

05-29-2011 09:14 PM

glassdad

Faster; no problem regarding the hijack. I have been out in big winds before. The boat can handle it and I think I can. But, this is not the type of weather to take the family out in.

05-29-2011 08:20 PM

Mark1948

Western Michigan (Milwaukee) a PITA as well. Rain, Thunderstorms, water temp 40, airtemp 45 - 50, tomorrow into the 80's with 10 - 15kts and wife has to work. At least I am in the water, lots of winter logs still in McKinley Marina.

It's no better here in S.E. Michigan. Yesterday would've been terrific sailing weather, if not a mite challenging for a short-handed crew on the first sail of the season, but our boat wasn't ready. We spent the day getting her ready, only to have today roll around and... no flippin' air whatsoever. That is until the storm, with up to 70 kt winds, is expected to arrive a bit later this afternoon and into this evening.

We need more rain like we need a collective hole in the head. We're so far into the second wettest spring on record, with only a couple more inches of rain w/in the next couple of days to break the record. Abracadabra's deck is sitting a good five inches (13cm) above her dock. Usually her deck is about even with the dock, or below it. I've seen retention ponds, recently, when driving about town, that I never knew were there.

I ain't complainin', tho. Not with what's happened to our fellow countrymen along the Mississippi and thru the middle part of the country these last couple of weeks.

No sir, I ain't complainin'... but it would've been nice to have sailed this weekend.

Jim

05-29-2011 03:21 PM

Faster

Hey glassdad... sorry about the hijack/drift.... Too bad about conditions but FWIW I think you're doing the right thing staying within your and your family's comfort zones. There will be plenty of 'good' days and as things go along you'll get more comfortable with heavier conditions. It's one thing to end up in them, another to choose to take them on.

As to your original scenario, winds 18-20 with gusts to 40... that's a tough mix and on top of that you're dealing with large waves... continue to use good judgment but do try to 'edge' those boundaries out over time!

Going to Moorea on Sunday after two weeks at a marina (imagine that!) in Tahiti. Winds should be 10 to 15 knots on a broad reach (with temps in the standard high 80s) for this epic 18 mile journey. Only had to sail 7000+ miles to get here.

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